1. Field
The present invention relates generally to mated pair connectors and improvements thereto and more particularly pertains to high density mated pair connectors utilizing a printed circuit board therein and improvements thereto.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical connectors for interfacing between separated systems or electronic devices are widely used in the art. Conventional electrical connectors utilize a series of pins on a first half of the connector and a corresponding series of sockets on a second half of the connector. When the two halves are mated together, the sockets receive the pins in order to electrically connect and provide a conductive pathway through the electrical connector. Thus, when a first system or electronic device is electrically coupled with the pins of the first half of the connector and a second system or electronic device is electrically coupled with the sockets of the second half of the connector, the two systems or devices may be electrically connected through the mated connector.
As systems and devices increase in complexity, the need has arisen for high density electrical connectors capable of electrically connecting increasingly large numbers of signals with one another. One type of electrical connector that has seen use in the electronic industry is a card edge connector. Conventional card edge connectors employ a slotted surface configured to couple or mate with an exposed edge of a printed circuit card or board. Electrically conductive surfaces on the exposed edge of the printed circuit card or board interface with a similarly situated row of electrical contacts in the slotted surface of the card edge connector.
A significant downside to such interfaces, however, results from the fact that card edge connectors require an exposed printed circuit board be incorporated in the utilizing application. Such a physical constraint is not viable for many new system designs. Moreover, not only do many current systems that would benefit from high density electrical connections not meet such a requirement, but modifying such systems to utilize these exposed electrical conductors can result in significant reliability and safety concerns. Conductive and potentially power-carrying electrical contacts must be left exposed to the surrounding, and potentially intrusive, outside environment. Not only does this exposure risk contamination or degradation of the electrical contacts over time due to weather or other contaminants in the air, but also exposes the conductive terminals of the system where a human being may accidentally come into contact with them. Electrical shock risks can be extremely dangerous if the system is capable of high current or voltage levels.
In addition, depending upon the configuration or orientation of the conductive surfaces on the exposed edge, a card edge connector may need to be specifically designed or independently manufactured for the specific circuit board utilized in the corresponding system. As such, card edge connectors may not be transferable between different customers or even for differing systems of the same customer, increasing the cost of their manufacturing due to the specialty nature of their construction. Such limited-use designs are particularly undesirable as systems increase in complexity and must respond to a larger number of signals since consumers have become ever more cost conscious when searching for suitable electrical interfacing for their growing systems. Therefore, a need exists for an improved high density electrical connector. Ideally, such an electrical connector would allow for a large number of signals to be propagated, would be inexpensive to manufacture, would be scalable, would be safe to use, and would provide sufficient protection against electrical interference or contaminants or degradation of the electrical contacts.